If you are an engineer who works in a company, you are most likely to have a higher up which you submit and report to every day. Now let me ask you this: how would you want your engineering boss to treat you?

Perhaps you would say that you want to have an open communication with your manager so you could do tasks productively. Others would say that they want an engineering boss who is interested in their career growth and development as engineers, while the rest would probably answer that they just would like to be heard – that their ideas and inputs are valued.

With these possible answers considered, one can conclude that engineers want bosses who let the spotlight shine on the employees. What matters most to engineers is to have a boss who gives them enough power to make decisions and allows professional growth in line with the goals of the company as well as the vision of the boss.

But for the work relationship to be effective, there needs to be mutual respect between the boss and the employees. For engineering bosses, how can they do this? Here are four ways:

Respect others

To be respected, you must also show respect. When the big man in the workplace treats his or her subordinates with respect and dignity, he or she is most likely to get respect in return. A culture of valuing the employees further enables a more productive workforce.

Listen more and talk less

You know what they say, “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” And for engineering bosses, they will have to be open to questions and suggestions from engineers if they want to succeed in meeting goals.

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Get feedback

Employees appreciate a boss who is unafraid to take in criticisms and opinions. Not only does this promote listening to subordinates and keep the team together, it also helps in the improvement of team management.

Build trust

Trust is a fundamental aspect in earning respect, this is why engineering bosses should see to it they are able to practice accountability, create transparency, confront different realities, and clarify expectations. Building trust within the team boosts employee engagement, making it a win-win solution for all.